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Petrie-Flom Interns’ Weekly Round-Up: 2/09-2/22

In an unexpected reversal of policy, Florida Governor Rick Scott announced his support for a three year expansion of Medicaid in Florida. Once a critic of the federal health care proposals, Governor Scott joins a growing number of Republican officials who have swapped sides on the Medicaid expansion debate.

While considering the terms of health care packages, the Obama administration decided that mental health care coverage must be a component in health care insurance. This mandate was met with mixed reactions, as health insurance plans have been also split into multiple tiers offering varying degrees of services and provisions.

In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court reinforced the authority of the Federal Trade Commission to block hospital mergers under antitrust legislation. While hospitals have been arguing that these mergers allow for a broader provision of services, the FTC pointed out it also increases hospital leverage with insurance companies, potentially raising prices.

The FDA recently released warnings strongly advising against the use of codeine for children. Codeine had been used as pain relievers after the removal of tonsils or adenoids, but there had been a series of overdoses and deaths even when it was prescribed within an acceptable range.